Speeches by Barron.

“Nobody should go to work, never to return home. On Tuesday 13 January 2026, Kenny Campbell Smart went to work at Corby steelworks and never returned home. Now that I have said his name, it will be written down and recorded in Hansard, and his name will live on forever. Today we are joined in the Gallery by Kenny’s wife…”

“You wrote that “we are far from having health, employment or welfare systems that offer the kind of support that is needed to enable young people into work.” My question is about different systems working together in order to help young people. I know it may be a bit early, but do you believe that that kind of systems-…”

“You mentioned the fact that skills is a cross-cutting issue and that you work with other Departments, and work well with some of them. I suppose we are looking for the tensions that may lie in other Government Departments, and what their priorities and agendas are where they are not wholly aligning with what you want a…”

“Welcome, everybody. You mentioned earlier that you came from the Department for Education to the Department for Work and Pensions. How have you found that transfer? What will the transfer enable you to do that you could not do before, now that you are aligned with the DWP?”

“We heard a lot earlier about where this sits in Government. As you know, the Child Poverty Unit now has come out of the Cabinet Office and gone into the DWP. Does that concern you in any way in relation to it being a DWP issue and therefore not an issue for other Departments? Could it get a little bit lost?”

“Good morning and thanks for coming along. Everybody knows that a strategy like this will not be done and dusted within one Parliament. It is probably going to need at least two, and then some form of continuation. How can we move this forward? What can be done to gain public support, but probably more importantly cross…”

“Good morning and thanks for coming along. Everybody knows that a strategy like this will not be done and dusted within one Parliament. It is probably going to need at least two, and then some form of continuation. How can we move this forward? What can be done to gain public support, but probably more importantly cross…”

“Good morning. Do you think there is enough practical detail in the strategy to support its implementation over the 10-year period?”

“Good morning. Do you think there is enough practical detail in the strategy to support its implementation over the 10-year period?”

“We heard a lot earlier about where this sits in Government. As you know, the Child Poverty Unit now has come out of the Cabinet Office and gone into the DWP. Does that concern you in any way in relation to it being a DWP issue and therefore not an issue for other Departments? Could it get a little bit lost?”

“Thanks for being here today. Back in 2011, the DWP concluded that any disproportionate impact of the statutory pension age increase to 67 on lower socioeconomic groups was likely to be small. Given the trend for more insecure work, disability and poor health over time, do we still stand by that conclusion?”

“The Social Security Advisory Committee has described the quality of DWP’s equality impact assessments as variable, with more work needed in some cases to think through the logic of policy and avoid a narrowly data-driven approach. What work has the Department done to reach its own judgment on this?”

“The need for around 10 years’ notice means that there may be significant changes between the time of the original impact assessment and the implementation. Is there anything that is done to look at that impact closer to the implementation as opposed to relying on the impact a decade before?”

“The Department’s 2023 state pension age review concluded that the timetable for the increase to 67 remained appropriate and it would keep the position of those unable to work under review. What options for mitigation were considered and which were rejected? I acknowledge the fact that it wasn’t you.”

“15. What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of postal delivery services.”

“Quality of service in the Royal Mail has been at shocking levels over recent years. Considering that Royal Mail is legally obliged to deliver a universal service and keep our communities connected, will the Minister join me in calling on Royal Mail’s owners to honour their agreement, end the two-tier workforce, and bri…”

“Reform-led North Northamptonshire council has just announced that it is increasing school transport costs from £795 to £965 a year. That £170 increase—an increase of over 20%—is unaffordable for families. It comes from a council that promised lower costs for families, that failed to have its books signed off and that h…”

“I refer Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. It is not just the customers who are rightly angry; it is postal workers as well, because they take pride in their job and the service they give. The last time I was in Corby delivery office, six deliveries never went out that day. The time be…”

“This has been an incredible debate. I pay tribute to those who have felt able and courageous enough to share their personal circumstances with the House, and to the campaigners in the Public Gallery who have come along to hear a debate that will help make a success of their campaigns. I go back to what my hon. Friend t…”

“Thanks, everybody. Good to see you. Many carers themselves are disabled or have long-term health conditions. How could and should the DWP tailor carer’s benefits and the support it provides to that group?”